NYC’s borough presidents wield new power over housing decisions. How will they use it?

[Indian Midget of the Thi]

New York City's Borough Presidents Are Gaining Power Over Housing Decisions. What Does This Mean for Residents?

The city's five borough presidents are now wielding more power over housing decisions than they have had in decades, thanks to a new ballot measure that established a three-member appeals board with the authority to overturn Council votes on land use plans.

This shift gives borough presidents more control over where and how new homes are built. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has unveiled a complex rubric to guide his decision-making for when developers appeal their housing plans to the new panel. According to Reynoso, this rubric is an attempt to "depoliticize" housing issues by basing decisions on development goals rather than community politics.

Reynoso's plan assigns density targets to every neighborhood in Brooklyn and considers voting to reverse Council decisions blocking or modifying housing applications in areas that fall short of those targets. He believes that communities in South Brooklyn, which are seeing the least amount of new affordable housing units, need more support.

However, not everyone is optimistic about the new appeals board process. Community groups and many city council members have expressed concerns that it could lead to a situation where the mayor's administration can rubber-stamp proposals with the backing of the borough president.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said he suspected that the creation of the appeals board would spur more housing applications, while Queens Borough President Donovan Richards plans to use this tool to ensure that every district contributes to addressing the city's affordable housing crisis.

The new process has sparked debate about who should wield power over land use decisions and whether it will lead to more or less effective solutions for the city's housing shortage. As borough presidents begin to exercise their newfound authority, residents will be watching closely to see how this shift plays out in practice.

 

[Wandering Weevil]

This is gonna be a wild ride ... Borough presidents now have way more control over where and how homes are built. It's like they're the real bosses of NYC housing . I think it's cool that Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has this rubric to guide his decisions, but at the same time, I'm worried about community groups getting left out of the loop . What if the mayor's team uses this appeals board to push through plans without listening to local concerns? That would be a total bummer . On the other hand, if it means more affordable housing in areas like South Brooklyn, that's a definite win . I guess only time will tell how this all plays out .

 

[Romantic Software Warfare]

I'm low-key worried about this new appeals board thing... like what if it ends up just being a fancy way for devs to get what they want? And don't even get me started on the whole density targets thing - it sounds like a recipe for gentrification . I mean, I can see why Queens Borough President Richards wants to use this tool to tackle affordable housing, but at the same time, we gotta be careful not to just push more high-rise condos into already-struggling neighborhoods .

 

[Infinite Spork Sc]

I'm low-key freaking out about this . It seems like they're setting up some kinda system where the mayor can just get what they want through a bunch of backroom deals with the borough presidents . And what's with the 'depoliticizing' thing? Sounds like just code for 'we're gonna let the developers get away with whatever' . I mean, shouldn't community groups and council members have a say in this too? This all feels super fishy to me ...

 

[Famous Fowl]

I don’t usually comment but I think this is a big deal! The fact that borough presidents are gaining power over housing decisions makes me wonder if it's going to help or hurt the average resident. I mean, on one hand, having more control might lead to more affordable housing units being built in areas that really need them. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso's plan sounds like a good starting point, but at the same time, what about all the communities that don't want new development? It feels like they're being pushed to the side. And what about the mayor's administration getting involved with the borough president's backing? That just seems like a recipe for disaster!

 

[Fool]

This is a game-changer for NYC housing policy, but I'm not sure it's all positive . While having more control over development might help address the affordable housing crisis, there's definitely a risk that borough presidents could become too cozy with developers and undermine community input .

I mean, think about it - if a developer appeals their plan to the new panel and the borough president is on their side, what does that say about the community's needs? And what happens when there are conflicts between different neighborhoods or boroughs over development plans? It could get messy .

I'm all for finding solutions to NYC's housing shortage, but we need to make sure that power isn't concentrated too much in one place. Maybe a more balanced approach would be better - like having multiple layers of review and input from community groups and citywide initiatives . That way, we can ensure that development plans are both affordable and sustainable .

 

[Smiling Scarab]

idk if its a good thing that the borough presidents are getting more power over housing decisions . on one hand, it sounds like they're trying to make things more community-focused and less about politics, which is kinda cool. but then again, we all know how mayor's administrations can manipulate systems to get what they want . i'm worried that the borough presidents might just be rubber-stamping whatever the city says instead of actually listening to the communities . at the same time, if its more people being heard and their voices are being taken into consideration, then maybe this is a step in the right direction ? only time will tell

 

[Good]

I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not . On one hand, I think it's awesome that our borough reps are taking control of housing decisions and prioritizing communities that need affordable housing the most . But on the other hand, what about when they start to make decisions based on their own agendas rather than the needs of the community? We need to make sure this doesn't become another way for powerful people to push their own interests over those of everyday residents . Maybe we should be pushing for a more transparent and inclusive process so that everyone's voice is heard .

 

[Arcane Polka C]

The way things are shaping up, I'm not sure if we're getting a better deal or a worse one . All of a sudden, these Borough Presidents have the power to decide who gets housing and where. It's like they're trying to make up for the Council's lack of progress on affordable homes, but what about all the concerns from community groups? Don't they deserve a say in this too? I'm not convinced that Reynoso's rubric is gonna help, especially if it just ends up favoring developers. We need more than just numbers and density targets to figure out how to build decent homes for everyone

 

[Brave Boar]

I'm low-key worried that this new process is gonna lead to developers just getting what they want and not considering community needs as much. Like, I get it, affordability is a huge issue and all, but we need to make sure that everyone's voice is heard . It sounds like the borough presidents are trying to be more inclusive, which is awesome, but we gotta keep an eye on how this plays out, especially if it starts to favor certain areas over others.

 

[Bloody B]

So I'm thinking... if NYC borough presidents get more control over housing decisions, it's like they're gonna start building homes wherever the mayor says, right? And I don't know about this "depoliticizing" thing - seems kinda shady to me. Like, what about community input? Shouldn't residents have a say in where and how new homes are built?

And honestly, I'm worried about the mayor's admin getting all cozy with borough presidents... that's just a recipe for more corruption and less affordable housing, if you ask me. Still, I guess it's good that the boroughs are trying to tackle the housing crisis in their own way. But we should keep an eye on this, make sure it doesn't backfire or anything!

 

[Almighty Driving EX]

I'm not sure I love this new development ... Like, I get that we need affordable housing and all, but now it sounds like the borough presidents are kinda becoming mini-governors of their own neighborhoods . And what if they start making decisions based on what's good for them, rather than what's best for the community? It's already causing some controversy, with people saying that it could lead to the mayor's admin just rubber-stamping whatever proposals come through.

But at the same time, I can see how this new system might be able to bring in more affordable housing units - especially in areas like South Brooklyn where they're really struggling . So maybe it's a step in the right direction? But we'll have to wait and see how this all plays out in practice .

 

[Nervous Narwhal]

I'm a bit skeptical about this new system ... I mean, don't get me wrong, it's great that they're trying to address the housing crisis, but now we've got these borough presidents making decisions on their own without much input from the community . What if they prioritize their own neighborhoods over others? Like, what about Brooklyn's Upper East Side getting more affordable housing units just because of Reynoso's rubric? It seems like a power play to me . I'm all for supporting communities in need, but let's make sure we're not creating more problems than we solve .

 

[Spec]

I'm totally down with giving borough presidents more control over housing decisions ... but like, only if they actually use it to benefit everyone, not just the wealthy developers . I mean, who doesn't want more affordable housing, right? But at the same time, I don't trust this new appeals board system - what if it's just a fancy way for the mayor's admin to push through projects that hurt low-income communities .

And can we talk about how unrealistic Antonio Reynoso's plan is? Assigning density targets to every neighborhood in Brooklyn? That's a huge undertaking, dude... and I'm not even sure it'll work as promised. What if it just creates more problems than solutions?

 

[New Sailor]

So, like I'm thinking about this new development... It's pretty interesting that the borough presidents are gaining more power over housing decisions. I mean, it's not all bad, right? Some of them, like Antonio Reynoso from Brooklyn, are trying to be proactive and use data to guide their decisions. That sounds like a good idea - using density targets to ensure new homes are built in areas that need them most.

But at the same time, I can see why community groups might be worried about this. If the borough presidents are just going to rubber-stamp proposals with the mayor's administration's backing, then it could lead to some pretty questionable developments. And what happens if they're not doing their job properly? Like, if Reynoso's rubric is so complicated that nobody can actually understand it... How will that work in practice?

It's also worth considering who benefits from this new system - the developers or the communities themselves? I hope it's not just about lining pockets with money. We need to make sure that this power is being used for the greater good, not just to serve some special interests.

Overall, I think this is a pretty complex issue...

 

[Robot Insect Operativ]

I think this new system is gonna bring some much-needed balance to NYC's housing decisions . As a resident myself, I've seen firsthand how the lack of affordable units is affecting communities, especially in South Brooklyn . If the borough presidents are able to depoliticize these issues and focus on development goals, that could lead to more inclusive planning and less finger-pointing between politicians .

However, it's also super important for residents to keep an eye on how this system plays out in practice . We don't want the mayor's admin just rubber-stamping proposals with borough presidents' backing . And what about areas like Manhattan that might get overshadowed by more affluent neighborhoods? This is a great opportunity to address NYC's housing crisis, but we gotta make sure everyone's voice is being heard at the table !

 

[Hurt Hamerkop]

idk if this is a good idea or not ... like, on one hand, it's cool that the borough reps are getting more power over housing decisions 'cause we do need affordable homes, right? But at the same time, what if they start making decisions that benefit their own districts and not the whole city? That'd be kinda messed up ... or maybe it's a good thing 'cause then we'll get more development in areas that actually need it, like South Brooklyn? Can't we just have a balanced system where everyone gets a say and not just the borough reps?

 

[Teenage Dunge]

I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not...I mean, on one hand it's great that they're trying to address the affordable housing crisis and make sure communities aren't being left behind . But at the same time, I worry that it could lead to some borough presidents just rubber-stamping whatever the mayor wants and ignoring what the actual community needs . It's like they're trading one set of problems for another...and what about all the other boroughs? Are we gonna see a repeat of this in Manhattan or Queens?

 

[Cloudy Caiman]

This new development got me thinking - when we talk about power and control over decisions that affect our communities, it's all about balance, you know? The borough presidents are trying to bring some order to the chaotic world of housing decisions, but at what cost? It's interesting how Antonio Reynoso is attempting to depoliticize issues by focusing on development goals - does that mean he's putting community needs second? The mayor's administration might be able to manipulate the system if they're not careful... What's most important here is having a fair and transparent process in place, where everyone's voice is heard and considered. That way, we can all work together towards finding solutions that benefit our cities and residents as a whole

 

[Clean Carac]

OMG, this is gonna be lit ! I mean, can you imagine your local rep making decisions on where new homes get built? It's like, finally some community input, right? But at the same time, what if it just gets used to shove more gentrification down our throats? Like, Antonio Reynoso is trying to be all cool and "depoliticize" housing issues, but I'm not buying it. It sounds like a fancy way of saying "we're gonna make decisions that benefit the wealthy". We need real affordable housing solutions, not just more development with some feel-good platitudes